Supervised Consumption Services (SCS)

What is a supervised consumption service?

Supervised consumption services (also known as supervised injection services or SCS) are health services where individuals can attend to inject or consume illicit drugs in a hygienic environment under the supervision of trained staff, and have opportunities to engage in other health and social services. Individuals bring drugs they have obtained elsewhere with them to the SCS.

The goals of providing supervised consumption services are to:

reduce overdose deaths

connect people who use illicit drugs with health-care and treatment services

reduce the transmission rate of diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C

reduce public drug use and discarded needles

How do supervised consumption services help?

Supervised consumption services and Overdose Prevention Services (OPS) can help reduce overdose deaths by providing a safer space for people to inject/consume drugs under the supervision of a trained professional. SCS and OPS staff can intervene in any medical emergencies, including overdoses.

SCS and OPS have been shown to connect people to other health services, including withdrawal management (detox), treatment and other social and health services.

Island Health's SCS and OPS service approach

Services are embedded in, or in proximity to, locations that already provide health and harm reduction services to people who use illicit drugs. Oversight supports are also offered in housing facilities where there are a high proportion of residents who use illicit drugs. Typically this oversight is only available to residents and guests, there is no public/non-resident access.

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Emergencies

If you are in urgent need of medical care, please call 911. If you require health care advice for a non-urgent concern, call HealthLink BC at 811.

Territorial Acknowledgement

Before Canada and BC were formed, Indigenous peoples lived in balance and interconnectedness with the land and water in which the necessities of life are provided. Health disparities persist, which are due to the impacts of colonization and Indigenous specific racism. Healthy lands, healthy people. Island Health acknowledges and recognizes these homelands and the stewardship of Indigenous peoples of this land; it is with humility we continue to work toward building our relationship.

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